GOV. GEO. TYLER WOOD. The second Governor of Texas was elected November 21st, and inaugurated December 21st, 1847. He was born in Georgia in 1816, and came to Texas in 1836. He was a tall, commanding and vigorous personage. Before coming to Texas he married an elegant widow, Mrs.: M. Gindratt. They bought a farm on the Trinity River near where the village of Point Blank now stands. Very soon he was elected to the Texas Congress. As soon as it was announced in 1846 that Mexico had resolved, in her supreme folly, to recapture Texas and force the Lone Star Republic to submit to Mexican misrule, Col. Wood was one of the first to raise a regiment and march to the Rio Grande and join the grand old hero, Gen. Zachary Taylor. His regiment was composed of such heroic men as Col. Wm. R. Scurry, 0. M. Wheeler and T. Epperson. Col. Wood and his regiment did heroic service in storming Monterey and routing the Mexican forces at Buena Vista and Cerro Gordo, and in waving the stars and stripes over the prostrate capital of the Republic of Mexico. Mexico was forced to pay to the United States her expenses of the war, and as she was bankrupt, she had to sell California and all of her territory to the Pacific ocean to the United States. Col. Wood retired to his lovely home, and hoped to spend the remainder of his life in quietness, but the people of Texas felt his clear mind and broad soul were greatly needed in laying deep and broad foundation stones of our Empire State. Seven days after Gen. Wood's inauguration, he said in a special message to the Legislature, "the Texas debt must be paid, the honor of the state must stand without a blemish: We can never expect to attain a high and permanent prosperity until it is done. And the consummation of a purpose so noble calls for united and energetic action." On the 28th of March, 1848, a law was passed which required all persons having claims against the late Republic of Texas to present them to the Comptroller. Gov. Wood recommended that Texas creditors be paid in land at 50 cents an acre, but very few creditors chose to take the land. And Gov. Wood had to leave the grand work he had begun, to be consummated by his successor as Texas was penniless. The second great object claiming his attention was the settlement of the boundary between Texas and the United States, including a territory of 98,000 acres lying east of the Rio Grande, and north of the Red River. Every well informed Texan or Mexican knew this territory was a part of Texas, yet it was settled sparsely by Mexicans, and separated by a vast territory inhabited by wild Indians. After the unfortunate failure made by Gen. Lamar, Texas made no farther effort to extend her official authority over this territory. And certain traders and speculators, and especially the abolition fanatics who were jealous of the area and increasing greatness of Texas, were artfully seeking to wrest this territory from Texas. And an officer of the United States, Gen. Kearney, had taken possession of the territory of Santa Fe, New Mexico, in the name of the United States. In 1848 on the recommendation of Gov. Wood, a bill was passed extending the laws of Texas over that portion of Santa Fe and Mexico, east of the Rio Grande River, and Judge Beard was sent there to hold district court. Col. Monroe, of the United States army, paid no attention to the Texas judge, and proceeded to order an election for a territorial delegate to the United States congress. Gov. Wood requested the Legislature to put the whole military force of the state under his control, that he might enforce the just claim of Texas. In the heat of the controversy some hot bloods contended that if the delegate of New Mexico was admitted to his seat in congress, the Texas delegates should withdraw and Texas resume her separate nationality. Many felt that civil war was certain, but by the wisdom of such God-sent statesmen as Sam Houston, Thos. J. Rusk, Henry Clay, Thos. H. Benton and Frank Pierce, the whole question was amicably settled to the great joy of every true patriot. The United States agreed to pay Texas $10,- 000,000 for 98,000 square miles of territory disputed lying north of the Red river, and east of the Rio Grande. This paid the last cent that Texas owed and left in her treasury over $2,000,000 for free schools, and over two million for improvements. Thus Gov. Wood rejoiced to see his plan inaugurated for settling the debts of Texas, and also for settling the boundary question joyfully consummated by his worthy successor, Gov. P. H. Bell. The next great object near Gov. Wood's heart was to see inaugurated a grand system of railroads. He and every intelligent Texan knew that without railroads Texas could never become anything but a great cow pen and sheep ranch. But if giardled with railroads, would become the grandest state between the oceans. But it was found that it was impracticable to commence a grand system of railroads until the state was more fully developed. Gov. Wood having nobly and honorably served Texas as a soldier and governor for twenty-two years, retired to his beautiful farm at Point Blank in San Jacinto county, where he lived happy and honored until 1858, when he quietly passed over the river to his eternal home. source: "The Life and Writings of Rufus C. Burleson" By Georgia Jenkins Burleson, Rufus Columbus Burleson, Harry Haynes 1901 Transcribed by Janice Rice